Chromatographic stationary phase separation materials used in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are commonly based on a porous carrier of silica onto which a functionalization has been made in order to achieve the desired separation characteristics for a certain analyte to be separated. Common types of functionalization are the preparation of hydrophobic stationary phases, e.g. a C18-phase, in which usually octadecylsilane is used as a functionalizing agent and reacted with silanol moieties of porous silica.
WO 2007/070001 discloses preparation of an organo-modified silica based material that can withstand high pH by mixing in an aqueous medium comprising from about 25 to about 100 weight % water, a silica based material(S) and one or more organosilane compounds (A), and reacting the mixture.
However, for various reasons, for example in applications when functionalization with a silane is not possible, it may be desirable to find an alternative to silane functionalization. Thus, there is a need for a cost efficient particle of modified silica that can be used as a stationary phase for chromatography, which is easily modified, simple to prepare, and which does not require any catalyst or promoter to prepare.
It would be desirable to provide a particle of modified silica which can be used as a stationary phase for chromatography, which has not been functionalized with a silane, which is easily modified and simple to prepare.
An object of the present invention is therefore to provide such a particle of modified silica, a method for its preparation and various uses of the particle of modified silica.